CHAPTER IV.

Let us review the situation.

The Germans have numbers on their side; they are three against one,

perhaps four; they own to 250,000 men, and it is certain that their

attacking front extended for 30 kilomètres; they have on their side the

positions, they crown the heights, they fill the forests, they are

covered by all these escarpments, they are masked by all this shade;

they possess an incomparable artillery. The French army is in a valley,

almost without artillery and without supplies, utterly naked beneath

their hail of lead. The Germans have on their side the ambuscade, and

the French have only on their side heroism. Death is glorious, but

surprise is profitable.

A surprise, that is the true description of this brilliant exploit.

Is it fair warfare? Yes. But if this is fair, what is unfair warfare? It

is the same thing.

This said, the story of the Battle of Sedan has been told.

I should have wished to stop there. But I cannot. Whatever horror the

historian may feel, History is a duty, and this duty must be fulfilled.

There is no incline more inexorable than this: to tell the truth; he who

ventures on it rolls to the very bottom. It must be so. The guardian of

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The History of a Crime